LANSING — Some MLive readers have commented or asked about the money behind a controversial Senate bill that streamlines the process for phone companies to discontinue traditional landline phone service.

Last week Senators voted 31-4 in favor of Senate Bill 636. The House Energy and Technology Committee heard testimony on the bill on Tuesday and plans to discuss it again on Wednesday.

As with most pieces of legislation, there are several companies and interest groups who are pushing for the bill, and others who are fighting against it. Telecommunications giant AT&T was a major driver for the changes, while senior citizen group AARP led the opposition.

While Michigan's campaign finance and lobbying disclosure laws don't require groups to divulge how much money was spent on a particular issue, public records do offer an idea on how much money is spent overall.

AT&T has spent at least $138,738 in lobbying from January through July 2013, along with about $94,288 in campaign finance expenses from Oct. 21, 2012 through Oct. 20, 2013, including $600 for bill sponsor Sen. Mike Nofs, R-Battle Creek.

AARP, meanwhile, has spent just about the same on lobbying — $137,493 through July. But it does not have a state political action committee for campaign contributions.

The lobbying figures don't include expenditures that are exempt from reporting requirements or money the groups have may have spent through general lobbying firms. They're also not the only groups with skin in the game, but they're among the more prominent players.

Nofs also received $1,950 since October 2012 from the Telecommunications Association of Michigan, which supports the bill. The group spent $26,995 on campaign finance expenses from Oct. 21, 2012 through Oct. 20, 2013 and has spent at least $9,800 on lobbying from January through July 2013.

Association President Scott Stevenson said lawmakers who received contributions voted both for and against the bill.

“Political contributions are part of the process and they go on all the time, whether there’s legislation up or not,” he said.